Getting paid to injure players legally. Immoral? Yes. Illegal? No. Ray Lewis tries to knock everyone out of every game. He wants to hurt you. It's ok because he does it for his base salary?

It's the part where there was an organized pay system. Lots of teams have player-only pools for big hits, and there's probably not much to do about those. But having coaches and front office people in on it is way different.

Well, usually the NFL telling teams to NOT film team practices and walk throughs and the fact the other 31 teams seemed to be able to follow this rule says CHEATING to everyone except the people in Massachusetts.

Well, usually the NFL telling teams to NOT film team practices and walk throughs and the fact the other 31 teams seemed to be able to follow this rule says CHEATING to everyone except the people in Massachusetts.

Easy mistake to make by any team. As Belichick said it was a simple misinterpretation of the rules. Really the Patriots shouldn't have even been punished. Goodell should have taken Belichick for his word and moved on like a man.

I think the draft picks penalty should have been steeper. Next years first makes more sense than next years second. They may be punished this season, but they'll receive a better 2013 first round pick because of it.

But that's just nitpicking based on the idea of punishment. It probably won't benefit them that much.

It's the part where there was an organized pay system. Lots of teams have player-only pools for big hits, and there's probably not much to do about those. But having coaches and front office people in on it is way different.

Several years ago Charles Woodson and Al Harris were accused of offering cash incentives to the Packers defensive linemen if they held Adrian Peterson to less than 100 yards. The NFL said "Hey, you guys, stop that!" So they stopped. McCarthy was asked about it and said that the team and the league and had handled the matter.

So, as you pointed out, what Woodson and Harris were doing was a players-only pool. It didn't involve coaches and outside parties. Also, ignoring the "stop that" directive and doing it for another two years was pretty stupid on the Saints part.

Several years ago Charles Woodson and Al Harris were accused of offering cash incentives to the Packers defensive linemen if they held Adrian Peterson to less than 100 yards. The NFL said "Hey, you guys, stop that!" So they stopped. McCarthy was asked about it and said that the team and the league and had handled the matter.

So, as you pointed out, what Woodson and Harris were doing was a players-only pool. It didn't involve coaches and outside parties. Also, ignoring the "stop that" directive and doing it for another two years was pretty stupid on the Saints part.

Yeah, that seems to be the big point that many are missing.

It wasn't so much that the Saints did it, it was that they were asked about it, denied it, were told to cease-and-desist, and refused.

Well, usually the NFL telling teams to NOT film team practices and walk throughs and the fact the other 31 teams seemed to be able to follow this rule says CHEATING to everyone except the people in Massachusetts.

And intentionally trying to hurt people is not okay to everyone except to the people in Lousiana apparently.

The Saints and the individuals disciplined today are expected to participate in efforts led by the league office to develop programs that will instruct players and coaches at all levels of the game on the need for respect for the game and those who participate in it, on principles of fair play, safety and sportsmanship, and to ensure that bounties will not be part of football at any level.

Shawn Payton: "Don't set bounties or allow bounties to be set, and certainly don't lie about it if you're caught. We did it with the Saints, and I lost $8 Million"

Yeah, I don't know about ensuring that bounties aren't taking place at any level, but I think the NFL is pretty well taken care of. Anybody who didn't get the message, isn't going to get the message.

Holy ****. Payton is going to feel that 7 million dollar hit. He's not broke by any means, but try unexpectedly losing 7 million dollars at the last minute, just think about that for a minute. Regardless of what's in your bank account that hurts.

I too don't get why the Loomis suspension doesn't go into effect now. What exactly would be his role the first 8 weeks of the season anyway if he even was around?

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Originally Posted by Scott Wright

I guarantee that if someone picks Cam Newton in the Top 5 they will regret it.

Holy ****. Payton is going to feel that 7 million dollar hit. He's not broke by any means, but try unexpectedly losing 7 million dollars at the last minute, just think about that for a minute. Regardless of what's in your bank account that hurts.

I too don't get why the Loomis suspension doesn't go into effect now. What exactly would be his role the first 8 weeks of the season anyway if he even was around?

I too don't get why the Loomis suspension doesn't go into effect now. What exactly would be his role the first 8 weeks of the season anyway if he even was around?

Managing the scouting departments (both college scouting, and pro scouting), signing players to replace injured players, overseeing negotiations with soon-to-be Free Agents, overseeing injury settlements for players who are pretty much done, dealing with the media when the situation calls for it, releasing players for being idiots, claiming promising players that other teams cut because they need the roster spot, deciding which promising player to cut because you need the roster spot, deciding whether or not to make a move before the trade deadline...

The Draft is the sexy part of the job (at least, to us draftniks), but it's a pretty big blow to lose your GM for half a season. This will be a good audition for whoever fills in for him.